Collapsible basket



June 28, 1960 Filed Dec. 25, 1955 J. T. NEELY 2,942,750

COLLAPSIBLE BASKET 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F ig./ 44 22 32 3a as John T. Nee/y INVENTOR.

United States Patent P (SOLLAPSIBLE BASKET John T. Neely, 124 Scenic Way, Vallejo, Calif.

Filed Dec. 23, 1955, Ser. No. 554,987

9 Claims. (Cl. 220--6) This invention relates to contortible wire baskets.

An object of the invention is to provide a collapsible wire basket primarily useful in the home and secondarily useful for merchandising, as in display work in drug and grocery stores and also in connection with commercial work. Although there have been contortible wire baskets made and successfully used, various structural refinements make it possible to use the collapsible basket to be described subsequently, as an aid to the housewife particularly when hanging clothes and when taking the clothes from the clothes lines. In this connection, the basket portion is fitted with legs that are easily folded under the basket portion when the device is not in use and are held in the extended, operative position by a very simple frame movable toward and away from the basket portion.

It is important that the basket occupy a minimum volume when it is not being used. Accordingly, it is a further object of the invention to provide a contortible or collapsible basket with its legs that fold completely within the perimeter of the basket proper so that the entire assembly assumes a flat condition when it is not in use.

A further object 'of'the invention is to provide a collapsible basket that has an upper and lower ring spaced from each other by means of series of pivoted loops connected at their ends to the rings and interconnected by pivotal means, the ends of the loops being held in definite spaced relationship on the upper and lower rings by means of spacers which are in essence the same diameter as the curved end parts of the loops. In this way, a smooth, finished basket with'upper and lower rings results.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved leg structure wherein each leg has an angulated portion on which a leg frame is 'slidably disposed so that upon movement of the frame toward and away from the bottom of the basket portion of the device, the legs are pivotally moved, that is to an bperative or folded position.

An important object of the invention is to provide a collapsible basket of'the type described that is not only sturdy but also light in weight so that it is practical device.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more 'fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming 'a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a side view of the collapsible basket shown the open position;

Figure 2 is a top view of thecollapsible basket in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top view of the collapsible basket showing the same in the collapsed'position;

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the collapsible basket in the open position;

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the basket with only the legs in the collapsed position;

2,942,?59 Patented June 28, 1960 Figure 6 "is a fragmentary perspective view of a part of the lattice Work forming the sides of the basket and made of the series of loops interconnected for this purpose;

Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a lower portion of one of the legs and wire frame mounted thereon; and,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified construction wherein a caster is used as the foot for one leg.

The collapsible basket 10 is made of an upper basket portion 12 together with a plurality of legs 14, 16, 18 and 20. Considering first basket portion 12, it consists of an upper ring 22 and a lower ring 24. Each ring is of identical construction. For example, ring 22 consists of a wire core 26 which maybe made of any diameter so long as it is similar to the core of the ring 24. The sides of the basket portion 12 are made of an upper series of loops 28 together with a lower series of loops 39. Loops 28 are V-shaped, each having at their ends eyes 32 which embrace the core '26. By virtue of this construction, each V-shaped loop is capable of being pivotally actuated about the ring 22. Loops 23 are spaced apart a distance equal to one-half of the distance between eyes 32. In this way, each side of each loop is crossed by a side of the adjacent loop. Loops 31 on ring 24 are provided with eyes '34. They are arranged and constructed in a manner identical to the loops 28.

There are means pivotally connecting the confronting ends of the loops 28 and 30. These confronting ends are the apices of the V-shaped loops. The pivotal connection is made by means of sleeves, as the sleeve 38 (Fig. 6) and the material may be metal or plastic. In order that there be a smooth operation, each loop has a very short portion at its apex extending between the sides of the frame. Short portion 40 in Fig. 6 is disposed on and in parallel relationship to the short portion 42 of the loop 30. .In this way, all of the loops of the series are capable of being pivotally actuated without binding. However, enough friction in the pivotal connection is obtainable in order to hold the basket in the open position as shown in Fig. l. Spacers 44 are placed on the core 26 between two of the eyes 32 and the next adjacent pair of eyes. Spacers 46 are placed on the core of the lower ring 24. 'These' spacers hold the eyes of the loops uniformly and properly spaced from each other. The diameter of the spacers is essentially the same as the diameter of the eyes 32 and the eyes 34 whereby a uni formly smooth and neat construction is obtained.

Each legis made of asingle piece of wire formed with two sides. For example, in Fig. 7 leg 16 is made of sides 50 and 52 which diverge upwardly and terminate in eyes 54 and '56 that are pivotally connected to the lower ring 24. The foot 58 of the leg 16 is formed by bending the wire to such position that itforms an arc. Side 50 extends upwardly and angularly from the foot 58, while side 52 extends vertically upwardly forming portion 60 and then is angulated outwardly as at 62. Each angulated portion 62 functions as a cam. The frame 66 is preferably square and at the corners there are loops 63 formed integrally in the Wire frame 66 or formed by a separate wire wrapped at its ends around the frame. The purpose of the frame is two-fold. When lowered it retains the 'legs 14, 16, 18 and 29 fixed in a lowered or extended position to support the basket portion 12. With the frame in the lowered position (Fig. 1) the legs cannot move in any direction. Secondly, frame 66 functions to pivotally actuate the legs from the collapsed position (Fig. 3) to the open position (Fig. 1). These positions are reached by moving frame 66 toward or away from the bottom of the basket portion 12. This movement is accompanied by pivotal motion of each leg as the loops 68, which form a sliding connection with '7 the sides 52, slide on the cam forming angulated por- 1 ,may function as skids, insome instances it may be, de-

sirable to use wheelssuch' as wheel 70 orlwheels of some other type. Wheel 70 is a part of 'a' caster 72 that is mounted in coils 74 'formed'atthe lower 'en'dsof a modifiedleg 76. Leg 76 is otherwisesimilar to any ofthelegs illustrated in Fig.1. e v 1' 'When frame 66 is lowered, as shown in Fig; 1, it is capable of sliding downwardly to the. straight portion 60 of each leg. At this point there is a stop 78 which protrudes laterally from the leg. Loop 68 seats upon'the stop in order to limit the extent of movement of frame 66 downwardly. V

The bottom of the basket portion '12 is madeof a central ring 80 concentric with ring 24. A plurality of substantially if-shaped loops 82 are fitted'with eyes 84 at their ends. These eyes are mounted forpivotal'movement' on the ring 24. Accordingly, the apices of the V- shaped loops 82 point toward the common center for 3. The collapsible wire basket of claim 2 and a stop secured to at least one angulated portion and projecting into the path of travel of said frameand on which said frame rests when in a lowered position.

4. The basket of claim 2 wherein said leg angulated portions have stops and in the path of movement of said loops to establish a limit of motion of said frame in one direction and form a rest on which said frame is supported.

5. In a collapsible basket which includes a collapsible basket portion having a lower ring and-an upper ring, a plurality'of legs, each leg'having sides, at least one of said sides being angula ted, means pivotally connecting the sides of said legs to said lower ring, a leg bracing frame havingmeans spaced at distance smaller than the distance across said legs pivotally connecting meansand disposedon the angulated portions of said legs for sliding on said angulated portions .to pivotally actuate said legs and for bracing said legs in a spaced position gen-v erally perpendicular to the plane of said lower ringl 16. The basket of claim 5 together with a plurality of stops connected with saidllegs intermediatethe inner and rings 80 and 24. Links 86 are pivoted to the apex porj tion of each loop 82 and to the ring 80. This forms a sturdy base for the basket portion 12. v f j In operation; either the basket portion 12 or the legs are first opened To open thebasket portion ring 22 is separated from ring 34 by pulling the rings apart. This automatically pivotally actuates the series of loops 28 with respect to the series of loops 30 so that they become extended as shown in Fig. 1. Friction in all of the joints is sufiicient to hold the loops in the extended, lattice-work arrangement as shown in Figure 1.

Then'the legs are swung on theirreyes 54 and 56 while at the same time frame 66 is being pulled outwardly from the ring 24. The camming action described pre viously moves'or permits the legs to move only a proper distance until they are in the'upright position. At this time frame 66 is resting on stops 78 so that afirm leg base is the result. The basket is then ready for use. After 'it is used, it cedure.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of'the 7 principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readilyoccur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention V to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Withinthe scope of the invention as claimed. 7 What is claimedas new is as follows:

1.111 a collapsible basket, an upper and a lower ring,

a bottom in said lower ring, a series of wire loops hav-' ing ends pivoted to said upper ring, .a series of wire loops having ends pivoted to said lower ring, means pivotallyj is collapsed by reversing the pro-' outer ends thereof and projecting into the path of travel of said frame to support said frame in a predetermined position with'respect to, said le'gsthereby retaining said frame in the leg bracing position.

'7. The collapsible basket of claim 5 and spacers on said lower ring holding said. leg sides pivotally connect-v ing means assembled on said lower ring. a p

8. In a collapsible basket, a wire basket portion which includes a lowerring, "together with a plurality of loops.

provided with eyes" pivotally mounted on said ring, a bottom for the basket and including loops that have eyes at their ends mounted for pivotal movement on said lower ring, tubular spacers disposed on said lowcr aing between said eye's' holding said eyes assembled on said ring, legs having an angulated side and pivoted to said bottom, leg bracing means connectedwith said legs for pivotally actuating said legs from a collapsed position parallel to said bottom to a position generally perpendicular to said bottom, said means including a frame movably mounted on said legs and whichconstitutes bracing for said legs when said legs are in the generally perpendicular position with respect toisaid basket bottom, said frame having loops that are spaced at smaller distance than the distance between said' legs at their pivotal connection with said bottom and slidably mountedonsaidlegs.

9. In a basketwhich has a bottom, the improvement comprising a plurality of legs, connecting means pivotally connecting the inner ends of said legs to said bottom, each leg having an inclined portion, a leg" bracing structure having a sliding connection with the inclined por tion of each of said legs,'the distanceibetween saidslid ing connections being slightlysmallerthan the distance between the legs inner ends connecting means sothat as said leg bracing structure is slid fironia position closer V to said basket toward the outer ends" of said legs and on connecting {he loops of one series to' the loops of the 7 other series,spacers on said ringsbetweensaid ends of 'said loops holding the ends of the loops'of eachjserics uniformly spaced from each other, legs pivoted to said lower ring and having angulated portions, and bracing 7 means slidably disposedon said angulatedportions for holding said legs. in a position substantially "normal; to saidrings. c i i 2. The basket of claim I wherein said bracinginieans comprise a frame, and a loop for each leg slidably mount- 9 ed on the angulated portion thereof so thatwhen said frame is moved toward and, away from said rings said legs are pivotally actuated.

said. inclined portions thelegs are pivotally movable to extended positioniat which said leg bracing structure supports'said legs.

L References at maranf this was 

